Anywhere But Here
by nolegirl26
Summary: JJ is in trouble. Can Emily help her?  Rating may change later.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Beth Miller, 32, Melody Mauro, 31, Nancy Peterson 32, Helen Joyce 34," Supervisory Special Agent Jennifer Jareau began, pushing the button on her remote to bring up a picture of each woman as she said the name. Four blonde haired, blue eyed women smiled at the team from their respective DMV pictures. Glancing around the conference room at her colleagues, she took a deep breath before continuing. "All found strangled near the dumpsters outside their various places of employment. The first victim, Miller, was found 5 weeks ago. The most recent, Joyce, was found this morning. It appears they were grabbed on their way out of work. Bruise patterns indicate the unsub grabbed them from behind in a choke hold. No physical evidence left at any the scenes."

"Four women murdered and we're just now hearing about it. What took them so long?" questioned SSA Derek Morgan, his expression incredulous.

"Four women in four different towns in the DC and northern Virginia area. LEOs only connected them this morning when the cases were covered on the local news," explained JJ.

"What makes them think these cases are connected?" asked SSA Spencer Reid.

Bringing up another series of pictures, this time of pendants like what would be found on a necklace, JJ continued, "Each woman was found with a different letter pendant near her." The silver letters J, A, R, and E appeared on the screen. "Crime labs traced the pendants to the manufacturer, but there's no way to tell where they were purchased from."

"Besides the obvious physical similarities, are there any other commonalities between the victims?" SSA David Rossi inquired, studying the faces on the screen.

JJ sought out a comforting face before answering. Catching SSA Emily Prentiss's brown eyes with her own, JJ replied. "As you can see, all victims had blond hair and blue eyes. All were about the same height and build. All were single mothers with young sons. Each woman had a typically male-dominated career – neurosurgeon, mechanical engineer, construction contractor, and IT consultant – that they were very successful at." JJ saw something register in Emily's mind and silently begged her friend to not bring it up. "Other than that, no other connection has been found."

Standing, Unit Chief SSA Aaron Hotchner spoke, giving out orders. "OK because there is no central location, we'll work out of here. Garcia, I want you to run backgrounds on these women and look for any other connections. Morgan, work with her on victimology and see what you can find on those pendants. Reid, start a geographic profile. JJ, we'll need every piece of paper the different police departments have on these cases sent over here. Prentiss, take JJ when she's done and interview the families and friends of the first 2 victims. Dave and I will go to the latest crime scene and interview the third victim's family. We'll meet back here at this afternoon to review what we've found. Let's get to work."

As the team filed out, JJ stayed behind to straighten up and collect her files. When she looked up, she saw Emily waiting near the door. "You okay?" the profiler quietly questioned, knowing that JJ was not.

"Yea, I'm fine," JJ replied, though her eyes told a different story. "This isn't the first time I've resembled the victims, nor will it be the last.

"You know, it'd be okay to not be fine. I mean, you don't just resemble those women, you are them," Emily said gently. "It would be completely understandable if you wanted off this case." That earned Emily a glare from the blonde.

"Emily, I am fine. Yes, it is a little disconcerting when I fit the victimology, but that is not going to stop me from doing my job. I am a capable agent and can take care of myself."

"Ok, ok, JJ, I didn't mean to imply that you can't. You're right. If I was in your position I would be saying the same thing." She paused, studying JJ, looking for signs that the media liaison was actually angry. As she saw JJ's face soften, she continued, "Do you want help contacting the precincts for their paperwork?" Seeing JJ's nod, Emily followed her to her office and settled down to make some phone calls.

An hour later, JJ and Emily were on their way to a brownstone in Georgetown to meet the family of Beth Miller. It was a quiet ride, both women deep in thought. Though she said she was fine, the fact that she was so similar to the victims really did bother JJ. All she could think about was the young boys left without their mothers. JJ couldn't help but wonder what would happen to Henry if something happened to her. Will had left them seven months ago, saying that he couldn't stand being Mr. Mom any longer. When she had reminded him that they had agreed that she would work while he cared for the baby, he had said that he'd thought she'd change her mind once the child was born. He had returned to New Orleans with a promise to visit his son often, but he had yet to call her once in seven months. JJ was secretly happy that he hadn't. He had said some hurtful things to her, accusing her of loving her job more than her own son. It was obvious that he resented Henry, blaming the child for taking away his freedom and ruining his and JJ's relationship. JJ had had a hard time adjusting after he left, but with the help of her friends, she had managed to build a new life for her and her three year old son. She had been amazed at how supportive her colleagues had been, from Hotch's advice on picking a daycare to Garcia's standing babysitting offer. JJ found Emily's help to be the most surprising. During the first few months, it wasn't unusual for Emily to stay the night with JJ, comforting her when she became overwhelmed and offering encouragement when she doubted herself. Emily was a natural caregiver and it showed in her interactions with Henry. The friendship between the women had grown stronger, and JJ was pleasantly surprised to see the normally reserved profiler open up around her and her son. She knew what she felt for the profiler was deeper than just friendship, but had never allowed herself to think about it. Breaking from her thoughts as the SUV hit a bump; JJ looked over at the driver's seat, studying Emily's profile.

As if they could read each other's minds, Emily had also been thinking about her friendship with JJ. The brunette had been fascinated by JJ since the day they met. The media liaison was beautiful, intelligent, and charming without knowing it, which made her even more intriguing to Emily. However, she had long ago compartmentalized her attraction, sticking it in a little box that she thought she had closed permanently when Will LaMontagne came into the picture. But in the past few months that Will had been gone, she had been allowing herself to open that box and explore those feelings a bit more. What she found surprised her. Though her feelings towards JJ had started out as mostly physical attraction and curiosity, over the years they had morphed into something a lot more. Somewhere along the way, she had fallen in love with the younger woman without even realizing it was happening. The thought had hit Emily suddenly one night as she watched a frazzled JJ walk a screaming Henry around his nursery. JJ had called Emily because Henry had an ear infection and would not stop crying. JJ herself was nearly in tears because she hadn't slept in days. Between trying to do everything for everyone at work and coming home to a sick child, JJ was pushing herself too hard. Emily had walked right in and taken JJ and Henry in her arms, offering comfort to both the blondes. Taking the toddler from his exhausted mother, she sent JJ to bed and began her own course around the room, murmuring softly to the boy, who eventually quieted and fell asleep. She carried her "mini-JJ" with her as she checked on his mother. It was then that she realized how in love with JJ she was. The blonde was sprawled on top of her covers, still in her work clothes, hair forming a halo around her head. The moonlight from the window gave her skin a soft glow, illuminating the tear tracks on her smooth cheeks. Emily mused that the sleeping woman was the most beautiful sight in the world. Using one hand to pull the blanket from the bottom of the bed over the sleeping figure, she had gently run her fingers through the silky blonde hair and kissed her forehead. That had been months ago, yet she could still remember how soft the skin had been beneath her lips and she desperately craved more. She just hoped her compartmentalization skills were good enough to keep her feelings from her expression when she looked at the younger woman. The last thing she wanted to do was scare away her best friend. As she pulled into their destination, she glanced over at the object of her thoughts, catching the blue eyes staring at her. Giving JJ a half smile, she asked, "You ready for this?"

Two and a half hours later, the women were on their way back to Quantico after interviewing the families of the first two victims. Emily could see that JJ was upset. "It's good that they have supportive families, you know? Those boys will grow up hearing about how much their moms loved them." JJ was surprised that Emily had known what she was thinking about, but then figured she shouldn't be. Emily always seemed to know what was bothering her and that had nothing to do with profiling. It was a testament to the strength of their friendship.

"Yea, I know. It's good that their dads are there for them and that their extended families are all working together to make this easier on them. I don't know why this is bugging me so much, it's not like this is even close to the worst things we've seen. I shouldn't let it get to me," JJ said, forcing her voice to sound nonchalant.

"You and I both know why it bugs you so much. You don't have to hide it or pretend to be strong, it's just me here. I would be more worried about you if it didn't get to you." JJ was quiet for a while.

"It's just, I don't know what would happen to Henry if I were to die. Will obviously doesn't care for Henry like a dad should and my family isn't very close. Who would tell him stories about me?" JJ asked quietly, her head turned towards the window.

"Hey," Emily reached over and grabbed JJ's hand, squeezing until the blonde looked at her. "Don't talk like that. I know that in our line of work we can't guarantee anything, but I can promise that I will do my best to make sure you return to Henry every night," she said emphatically, her eyes revealing the truth behind her words. Giving JJ's hand one last squeeze, she let go, returning her attention to the road.

JJ was struck by the honesty and other emotions she saw in the dark brown eyes. Her hand tingled where Emily held it. The weight of those words and the emotion behind them hit her hard, making her breath catch in her chest. As Emily released her hand, she turned back to the window, tears in her eyes. They spend the rest of the time in comfortable silence. As they climbed out of the SUV back at Quantico, JJ unexpectedly pulled Emily into a hug. "Thanks, Em," she whispered into the profilers neck as Emily wrapped her arms around her waist. They stayed like that for a few moments until pulling back and smiling at each other before walking into the FBI building.

"What've we got?" asked Hotch as soon as the women joined their waiting colleagues at the conference table.

Morgan spoke first, "I got nothing on the pendants. Like the crime labs said, I tracked them to the manufacturer, but from there there's no way to tell where they came from. Manufacturer sells to hundreds of different vendors in the metropolitan area alone. They're basic sterling silver block letters, about 1 inch tall and a half inch wide, nothing too fancy, usually retail for about $10." Morgan stood, tacking photos of the pendants to the white board. "As for the letters J, A, R, and E, Garcia ran them through their background checks using some fancy program and found nothing. Victim number 3, Nancy Peterson, had a brother names Jared, but he died three years ago, so I don't think it's connected."

"You're probably right. Any new connections?" asked Hotch.

"Nothing. No overlap in schools, grocery stores, doctors offices, daycares, anywhere. They lived in different towns and ran in different circles. There's no indication that they ever met or visited the same places. The only connection I got is what we already had, but Garcia is still digging for more." Morgan sat down again.

"Ok. What about you Reid? Do you have a working geographical profile yet?" Hotch questioned the young doctor.

"Normally an unsub has a comfort zone in which he stays and kills in. This guy doesn't seem to have that. Each kill has been in a different town." Reid stood up to point to the map. "First victim in Georgetown, next in Arlington, then Springfield, and Woodbridge. The only pattern I can see emerging is the southern movement. These areas are in the vicinity of I-66, I-395, and I-95, moving from north to south, so assuming he's traveling by car from his home to his targets, probably lives near one of these highways. There's no centralized location, so I probably won't be able to narrow it down any more than that without additional data." Reid finished and returned to his chair, looking slightly defeated.

"Prentiss? What'd you find out?" Hotch turned to his female profiler. Emily looked lost in thought, staring at the board as if she were trying to piece something together. Hotch knew that she needed to fully work it out in her head before she mentioned it to the team, so he turned to JJ to answer for Emily.

"We didn't really find out anything new about the victims. Both were on good terms with their exes. Beth Miller had sole custody of her son while Melody Mauro shared custody with her ex. Both their sons are preschool age; both are now living with their fathers in accordance with the women's wills. No one can think of anyone who would want to hurt them. Their coworkers all said that they were nice people who would do anything for anyone and hard workers. Beth Miller left her practice at her usual time, 5pm, and was found by the dumpsters in the alley beside the building that night by the garbage man. No one heard or saw anything unusual. Melody Mauro left her office building around 6:30pm but never made it to her car. She was found when her nanny called the police the next morning. Again, no one reported any strange people or unusual sounds," JJ said, disappointed that they hadn't found anything useful.

"Rossi and I got pretty much the same. No one could think of anyone who would want to hurt these women. Nancy Peterson was a widow, so her son is living with her parents. Helen Joyce's ex signed away his parental rights as soon as the child was born and moved to Oregon. The boy is with his grandparents now. Coworkers didn't report anything out of the ordinary at either scene. Nancy Peterson left work late, around 9pm, and was found the next morning by a jogger. Helen Joyce left her office at 7pm and was found this morning by a homeless man."

Emily was still staring at the board, her face screwed up in concentration. It was like the answer was dangling in front of her, she just couldn't grasp it, like the word was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't say it. JJ was watching Emily and knew her well enough to know that she was getting frustrated with her inability to figure out what it was that caught her attention. She tilted her head to the side and crinkled her nose, which JJ always found adorable, not that she would ever say admit it. As Hotch stood handing out the reports that JJ and Emily had retrieved earlier from the police stations, Emily's face changed. A triumphant look appeared in her eyes, signaling to JJ that the puzzle pieces had fallen into place. As Emily realized what it was that she figured out, a look of fear crossed her face briefly, before she schooled her expressions into her neutral mask. "Um Hotch? I know you probably realize this, but JJ matches this victimology to a T," she began nervously.

"Emily, we already talked about this, I'm fine, I can do my job just fine," JJ interrupted, slightly annoyed that Emily was bringing this up in front of their boss.

"No, I know that, I'm not trying to stop you or saying that you can't," Emily turned her eyes from JJ back to Hotch. "These women are just like JJ, but it's not unusual for one of us to match the victimology. What is unusual is these letters. Look at them. J, A, R, E. Given the physical similarities, I'd bet anything that the next 2 victims have an A and U. I think the unsub is spelling JJ's name."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Jesus, I think she's right, Hotch," Rossi exclaimed. "I don't know how we didn't see it before, but it looks like a very plausible theory."

"The probability of this being merely a coincidence are approximately 1 in 953,870," Dr. Reid supplied helpfully.

"Well, JJ's not allowed out of this room until we catch this guy," added Morgan, going immediately into protective big brother mode.

"Um guys? I'm sitting right here, so can you please talk to me, not about me?" JJ said, standing at the head of the table. She looked visibly shaken, but she was clearly trying to not react to this new development. Sitting down again, she relaxed slightly when she felt Emily's hand rub up her forearm soothingly. Hotch stood up, taking charge of the situation.

"Ok, this is a new angle we will pursue, but we will continue to work all other angles until we get further proof that JJ is really the target. However, given the gravity of the situation, JJ, you will not go anywhere outside this building alone. You will always have one of us with you, understood?" JJ was about to protest when Hotch interrupted, "That's not a request, it's a direct order." JJ snapped her mouth shut and nodded once, barely managing to avoid rolling her eyes at her boss. "Good, let's get to work people."

Hours later, JJ was ready to leave her office. It was 7pm, which would usually be early for her, but after the day she had, all she wanted to do was go home and be with her baby boy. Looking up as Emily opened her office door, JJ couldn't help the slight smile that came to her face when she saw Emily's grin. "Hey Jayje, I volunteered myself to escort you home tonight," Emily told the exhausted looking blonde.

"You don't have to do that. I don't need a babysitter," JJ replied, unable to contain her eye roll this time.

"I know you don't, but I got direct orders from the boss man, so you're stuck with me," Emily shrugged.

"Oh well, I guess there are worse things that could happen," she paused for a minute, seemingly studying the profiler across from her. "I suppose you are better than Reid," she said with a slight smirk.

"You suppose? Trust me I am much better than Reid. I don't spurt out random facts or statistics. I know how to keep my nerdiness hidden." JJ let out an unladylike snort at this. "Mostly," Emily corrected with a playful glare at the blonde. "And best of all, your son does not run screaming in the other direction when I walk in the room," Emily ended with a triumphant smile.

"Alright, you got me there. It's a good thing my kid likes you." JJ teased as she led the way out of her office, locking the door behind Emily.

"Thanks, Victoria," JJ said, ushering Henry's nanny out her front door. "See you in the morning."

Walking back to the living room, JJ stopped in the doorway to observe the scene in front of her. Henry was sitting on Emily's lap on the couch, telling her about his day at the zoo. Emily was focused intently on every word from the little boy's mouth, hanging on his every word. She listened patiently, waiting for the little blonde to finish talking before she asked a new question. JJ had never seen anyone, with or without kids, who was so patient with a child. Most adults asked questions but never seem interested in the whole answer and move on to the next question before the child can finish the last. Most adults either talk down to the child or treat the child as another adult. Emily did neither. She seemed truly interested in what Henry was saying and engaged him in conversation. She didn't use baby talk, but she spoke in a way that a three year old could understand. JJ felt a warm feeling spread through her body as she watched Emily interact with Henry. As Henry paused in his story telling to take a drink from his sippy cup, Emily's brown eyes found JJ's blue ones, a smile spreading across her face as she pulled the small boy closer to her. JJ moved to sit beside them on the couch, shoulder and thigh touching Emily's as they listened to Henry recount his adventures. JJ reveled in the warmth she felt coming from Emily and the sound of her sweet boy's voice. After a few long moments, JJ's stomach growled, sending Henry into a fit of giggles and reminding his mother that she hadn't eaten in hours. "Ok mister, it's getting close to bed time. Give Aunt Emily a kiss goodnight."

"G'night Auntie Emmy," Henry said, burying his face in her neck as she hugged him then giving her a sloppy wet kiss on the cheek. Emily chuckled as she gave him a kiss and wished him sweet dreams. Once again, JJ felt warmth spread through her body as she watched the scene unfold before taking Henry in her arms. As her hand brushed Emily's and their eyes met, JJ felt that warmth settle in her belly.

"I'll be down in a bit. Make yourself comfortable," she invited.

Thirty minutes later, JJ descended the stair to find Emily in her kitchen, tossing a salad and stirring something on the stove. There was a delicious smell coming from whatever she was making and she smiled as she heard Emily singing softly along to the music coming from the radio. "Mmmm, that smells delicious. What it it?" JJ asked.

"Just some frozen veggies and chicken I found in your freezer. You really need to shop," Emily replied.

"Hey you're lucky you found anything in there at all. There have been times when all I have is dino nuggets and ice cream," JJ retorted.

"Yea I remember. I also remember that the only reason you have that food in there is because I refused to eat dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets three nights in a row," Emily said smirking.

"I recall. I think your exact words were, 'no more freakin' dino nuggets.'"

"Not my most eloquent moment, but it got my point across, didn't it?"

"Yea, yea. Whatever," JJ replied grudgingly, trying hard to keep a stern face.

Sinking into the couch after their meal, JJ watched guiltily as Emily cleaned up. "Emily, you don't have to do that."

"I know, but I'm almost done. You just relax." JJ meant to argue, to get up and help Emily, but her tired body refused and she yawned, snuggling further into the couch. She watched lazily, observing Emily moving around her kitchen as if she had been doing it all her life. JJ was normally a very private person and rarely invited anyone into the private sanctuary of her home, but with Emily, it just felt right having her there.

Sighing as Emily joined her on the couch, she murmured, "You didn't have to do this tonight. I know Hotch told you to stay here, but you don't have to. I can take care of myself."

"I know that Jayje, but I want to be here and take care of you. I like taking care of you and Henry," Emily replied, staring into JJ's eyes. JJ watched, transfixed, as emotion once again played behind those eyes. She couldn't quite put her finger on what the emotion was, but she knew that she liked how it made her feel.

"Thanks, Emily," JJ whispered before her mouth opened wide in a yawn. Emily chuckled before yawning herself.

"Maybe we should get to sleep," Emily suggested. "You go on up to bed, I remember where everything is, I'll be fine."

"M'kay," JJ mumbled, a sudden wave of exhaustion making it difficult to walk up the stairs. "Night Em."

"Goodnight Jayje." Later, curled up on the couch, Emily's mind last thought before she drifted off to sleep was that she really liked it when JJ called her Em.

JJ woke the next morning feeling refreshed and well rested. A glance at the clock told her that she had slept through her alarm and she bolted out of bed. Hurrying down the hall, she noticed that Henry was not in his room so she continued down the stairs. Henry jumped into her arms squealing when she entered the kitchen. Chuckling as she noticed the chocolate chip pancakes Emily was serving, she turned to the brunette with a raised eyebrow. "Don't you think it's a bit early for that much sugar?" she asked, placing Henry in his booster and sitting beside him.

"Nonsense. It's never too early for chocolate," Emily replied easily, handing JJ a plate.

"These look amazing. Henry, say thank you for breakfast," JJ instructed, smiling as the small boy mumbled his thanks around a mouthful of syrup drenched pancakes. "Not that I don't appreciate it, but aren't we a bit late for work?"

"Hotch called this morning and said that the guys were going to revisit the crime scenes and the bodies to see if we missed anything. He said that we would meet in the office at 10 to go over any new developments. So Henry and I turned off your alarm to let you sleep in. I called Victoria and told her she could be a little late," explained Emily.

"Thank you, I feel so much better. I don't think I've slept that long uninterrupted since before he was born." JJ smiled at Emily. They finished their breakfast quietly, giggling as they watched Henry shovel the sugary food into his mouth, managing to get more of it in his hair than they thought possible.

"So basically, we've got nothing new," Morgan summed up for the team. They were all clearly frustrated by the lack of evidence and leads on their unsub.

"Ok working with what we know, let's get a preliminary profile together so that we can have something to tell the public. What do we know?" Hotch looked around the conference room table.

"White male, early thirties. Has some knowledge of the crime scene procedure, demonstrated by the lack of evidence he leaves behind," Emily began.

"He obviously has a type, so someone in his past must have fit this description. A girlfriend, his mother, maybe even a stranger on the street," Rossi added.

"He has to be pretty physically fit. It takes a lot more strength than you'd think to strangle someone in a choke hold. He's got to be taller than these women," Reid supplied.

"Probably works in a job with unusual hours, given the times of the murders. He must have observed the buildings before he grabbed the victims because he avoided all the cameras. He had to have sat outside the offices for a while, based on the fact that some of the victims left at irregular times. It's possible he had even stalked them for a while," Morgan interjected.

"Something happened to him 5 weeks ago to set him off. He was fired, dumped, rejected in some way. He is still in control and isn't making mistakes yet, but will eventually devolve and escalate. If there is a connection to JJ, there will be at least 2 more victims." Hotch paused, looking at JJ. "I'd like for you to arrange a press conference. We need to alert the public to the possible danger." The conference room exploded in protests from the profilers, Emily jumping from her seat in her excitement. As Hotch waited for them to settle down, he locked eyes with JJ to make sure she really was ok with this. Determination was written across her face, with a hint of stubbornness behind her eyes. JJ stood abruptly, instantly silencing the room.

"I am extremely appreciative of your concern, but I will do this press conference. I will be completely safe because you will all be there to make sure of it. I am not gonna let an unsub stop me from doing the job I am good at. Now that that's settled, can we please go over the profile once more so I can begin writing a press release?" JJ looked around the room, daring her friends to defy her. She met Emily's eyes and caught the slight smirk playing at the corners of the profilers lips. JJ slowly sat down and pulled her notepad towards her, ready to work.

Four hours later, Emily looked around the press room of the FBI building at Quantico. Only reporters that JJ knew and who had been vetted by the FBI had been invited, but she still had an uneasy feeling about JJ going on TV talking about the man who was apparently focused on her. She was slightly reassured that their team was going to be in there with JJ, but she couldn't shake the niggling worry that this was a really bad idea. But she knew that nothing would deter JJ. The media liaison's determination and commitment to her job were two of the many things Emily admired about her friend. And though she would never admit it, Emily thought the younger woman's stubbornness was adorable, in an irritating sort of way. Emily walked over to JJ, putting her hand gently on the small of her back to announce her presence to the other woman. "You ready?" she asked softly, her shoulder bumping JJ's as the blond turned towards her. JJ shuddered involuntarily; the profiler's closeness always wreaked havoc on her senses.

"Yea, of course," JJ nodded. "Let's do this." Emily pushed open the door in the back of the room and led the liaison up to the podium. JJ glanced around briefly, nodding at the familiar faces in the crowd and took a deep breath. With the men of the BAU standing around the room and Emily next to her on the stage, she began reading from her notes, giving the profile and advising the public about the unsub. When she was finished, she answered a few questions thrown at her from the gathered press. After ten minutes of questions, Hotch signaled to JJ to wrap it up. "That's all the questions we have time for today," JJ began, effectively cutting of a reporter who had been yelling the same question for the past five minutes. "The FBI will issue another statement when more information becomes available. Thank you." Emily followed JJ off the stage down the aisle in the middle of the room.

"Agent Jareau," the reporter she had interrupted began as she walked closer. "I just have one question."

"I will not be answering any more questions at this time," JJ replied curtly, her professional mask set. She winced as his hand wrapped tightly around her upper arm, pulling her towards him. Before Emily could react, JJ had the man's arm twisted behind his back.

"I said I would not be answering any more questions," JJ said, her voice low and dangerous. Emily couldn't stop her smirk when the reporter flinched. Morgan approached as JJ pushed the man away, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him out of the room. Emily placed her hand on JJ's back and guided her out of the room.

"You ok?" she questioned when they got back to JJ's office.

"Yea, I'm fine," she paused. "I think I may have broken his arm."

"I'm sure he's fine," she assured the blonde. Smiling slightly, she teased, "But you have got to teach me that move, because that was impressive." Her smile widened when JJ laughed.

"I think your moves are just fine," JJ threw back. Blushing slightly, Emily was saved from answering when Rossi walked into the office.

"Are you ok?" he asked the media liaison, concern lacing his voice. JJ smiled and assured him that she was fine. "Well, the guy is in a holding cell until you decide if you want to press charges. His name's Stephen Tanner, reporter for the Georgetown Post. Do you know him?"

"He's on my list of local papers. I've never really spoken to him personally, just seen him at a few press appearances. He must have been vetted to get in here though," JJ replied, her brow furrowing.

"Yea he came up clean. Just seems like he got a little frustrated that his question wasn't answered. Said he didn't mean to grab you. He was a little annoyed that you put him in his place in front of the whole room, but he deserved that. EMS workers think his wrist might be broken, but he'll be ok. We're probably gonna hold him for a few hours to give him time to cool off. Do you want to press charges?"

"No, I think the broken wrist is punishment enough. I really didn't mean to hurt him, I just reacted," JJ answered, feeling slightly guilty for injuring the man, but it passed quickly as she remembered the feel of his fingers digging into her arm.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing! I'm working on the next chapter, so it should be up by the weekend.


	3. Chapter 3

The team sat in the conference room two hours later, enjoying Chinese takeout. The men had finished questioning and intimidating Tanner and had cut him loose with a warning to stay away from JJ. As she and JJ swapped takeout boxes, Emily turned towards Hotch. "You don't think this guy has anything to do with the case do you? I mean, he couldn't be our unsub right?"

"I don't think so. He doesn't fit the profile, he's too impulsive, but he has been removed from all press lists and we've contacted the Georgetown Post to inform them of his actions. Morgan also…suggested…that he stay far away from JJ, so he should not be a problem."

An hour later, JJ walked through the bull pen, leaning her hip against Emily's desk. "So which one of you gets the honor of being my protector tonight?" she asked, rolling her eyes slightly.

"That would be me again. Morgan has a hot date tonight, so I hope you don't mind," Emily leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms over her head and working the kinks out of her neck. JJ's eyes absently followed the line of Emily's body, from the tips of her fingers raised above her head to her toned stomach. Realizing what she was doing, the blonde shook her head slightly, returning her focus to the conversation.

"Not at all. Wouldn't want to ruin Morgan's night," JJ smirked, rolling her eyes at Emily.

"JJ, you are making my date a very happy woman," he said cockily, winking at her.

Laughing at Morgan, JJ watched Emily gather her things. They bid Morgan a good night and headed for the elevator, both secretly thrilled at the prospect of another night spent in each other's company.

After a late dinner of pizza, the two FBI agents settled on the floor of JJ's living room, watching as Henry ran to the corner, pulling out his box of toy cars. "Auntie Emmy, you wanna play crash with me?" the boy asked, giving Emily his best puppy dog eyes. Emily smiled at how much he was like JJ, from his blonde hair to face he was giving her now, which both Jareaus knew would make Emily cave to whatever they wanted. Henry gave a cute little yelp of triumph when she agreed, shoving a toy truck into her hand. "You make it crash into my car," he explained, demonstrating with a loud bang. Emily shook her head slightly, amused at the game.

JJ leaned her back against the couch, watching as her son played easily with Emily. The smile on the brunette's face made JJ smile. She really is beautiful, JJ mused. She couldn't imagine what her life would be like without the profiler in it. As the warm feeling spread through her body again, JJ couldn't help but think that this was perfect, being here with her son and the woman she loved. As her mind processed that thought, JJ had a brief moment of panic, but it passed quickly as she realized the truth behind it. She did love Emily and had for a while. She had just been too stubborn to allow herself to admit it. She hadn't meant to fall in love, especially with a coworker and a female one at that. But Emily made it difficult not to. She was such an amazing person, so caring and strong.

JJ was pulled from her thoughts by Henry's squeal of laughter as Emily tickled his belly. "Save me Mommy!" the little blonde screamed dramatically, trying to hide behind her. JJ laughed, hugging him tight and whispering in his ear. They both turned towards Emily with matching smiles and mischievous glints in their eyes. Emily eyed them suspiciously as they slowly inched towards her. Before she knew it, she had been knocked backwards, both blondes tickling her stomach and sides. Long moments of torture later, they collapsed in a heap of giggles on the floor. Emily was breathing heavily, the combination of laughing and JJ's hands on her body making it hard to catch her breath. As they settled, Henry snuggled into his mother's side, signaling to her that it was bed time.

"I'll be back in a bit," she said, smiling as Emily kissed Henry goodnight before she took him upstairs. Tucking her son in after his bedtime story, she kissed his forehead before walking back down to the living room. Emily had settled herself on the couch, her hair still messy from rolling around on the floor, her eyes still holding a hint of laughter. JJ went to the kitchen and poured them both a glass of wine before settling on the couch next to Emily, content to spend the evening with the woman she loved.

JJ's hands shook as she walked to Hotch's office the following afternoon, forcing her steps to slow. She appeared calm as she knocked on the door, though she was anything but. "Hotch? These just arrived for me; they were delivered by a messenger half an hour ago." She handed him a plain manila envelope with her name printed on the front. He pulled out the contents, his face not showing the shock and anger he felt. He spread the pictures across his desk, images of JJ by her car talking on her cell, in the car with Emily, hugging Henry outside her house, walking into the office building, and, the ones that made Hotch the most upset, Henry and his nanny at the park. In each picture, the others' faces had been scribbled out, leaving only JJ's and Henry's visible. "Get everyone in the conference room in 5 minutes," he ordered before gathering the pictures and leaving his office.

Minutes later, Hotch stormed into the conference room, satisfied that the rest of the team, including Garcia, was present. "JJ received these about 20 minutes ago," he began, placing the pictures on the table. Ignoring the gasps from his colleagues, he continued, "Security got the messenger on camera. Garcia, I need you to get that footage and see if we can figure out who he is." Garcia nodded, scurrying off to her lair to work her magic. "Do you recognize when these were taken?" he turned to JJ.

"They're all from this morning. The nanny said they were having a picnic at the park for lunch. Do you think I should call her and tell her to go home?" JJ questioned, pulling out her cell phone.

"Call and make sure they are ok, but tell her to get to a public area and stay there. Try to get her to stay calm. Morgan and Prentiss, I want you to go meet them and bring them here," Hotch instructed. The two agents immediately left, telling JJ to call them with a location.

"Do you think they're in danger?" JJ worried.

"I think it's best to overly cautious," Rossi assured her. "Why don't you go see if you can help Garcia?" he suggested, trying to distract her from her thoughts. He patted her arm gently and sent her a reassuring smile as she nodded absently and walked out.

"Do you think this has to do with the case, or is it something else entirely?" Hotch asked as soon as JJ was out of earshot.

"Well, based on the fact that all the other faces are marked out except for JJ and Henry, my gut instinct is yes, it's the case," Rossi replied, his anger at the unsub growing.

"Not to mention that yesterday was the press conference. It was the first time all his crimes had been publicly connected and it gave him a chance to see JJ talking about him. It could have set him off," Reid added. Hotch nodded grimly.

"He's taunting her, saying 'I know all about you and you know nothing about me.' Trying to intimidate her," said Rossi, the muscles in his jaw twitching as he clenched his teeth. Heading for the door, he ground out, "Let's catch this bastard."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: This chapter is shorter than the others, but real life is kicking my butt right now. I'll try my hardest to update again soon, but it could be a while. Thanks for reading and all the reviews!

* * *

"Oh thank God," JJ breathed out as the elevator doors slid open, revealing her son sound asleep, his head resting on Emily's shoulder and arms wrapped around her neck. JJ met the brunette's eyes and held her gaze as they approached.

"He's alright," Emily assured the blonde, gently passing the child to his mother. She smiled as he shifted in her arms before nuzzling his nose into her neck and settling back to sleep. JJ let ou a sigh and held him tightly to her chest, tears shining in her eyes.

"I knew in my head he was, but I guess I couldn't believe it until I held him," she offered with a small smile. Emily nodded her understanding, the look in her eyes telling JJ that she really did understand. She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Morgan, who was leading Henrys nanny over to the two agents.

"We don't think you're in any danger, but just to be safe, do you have somewhere you can stay for a while?" Morgan asked Victoria as she handed Henry's belongings to Emily.

"Yeah, my friends live up in Bethesda. I could go visit them for a few days, if you don't need me," she turned towards JJ.

"No, thanks, I'll probably keep him close to me until we get this guy. You go and be safe and I'll call you when this mess is over," JJ replied with a reassuring smile.

As Morgan arranged for an agent to take the nanny to her friends' house, Hotch approached the group. "Conference room, five minutes," he said as he walked by.

"Where is he? My godson is in the building and yet no one bothered to come get me? I'm his fairy godmother, and I want to hold him," Garcia exclaimed as she burst into the conference room.

"He's asleep in my office. I didn't want him in here while we're talking about the case," JJ explained. Garcia immediately opened her laptop and pulled up the security camera in JJ's office, watching the small boy's chest rise and fall steadily. Satisfied, she turned expectantly towards Hotch.

With a nod, Hotch began the meeting. "Okay, let's go over what we have. Garcia, did you find the messenger?"

"Yes, I tracked him down by his uniform. Name's Bill Harris, works for Nathan's Delivery Service out of Georgetown. I gave his info to Morgan, so take it away my hunk of chocolate love," she ended with a smile at the bald man.

Rolling his eyes at her antics, he began, "I spoke to him, he said the envelope was lef at the front desk of the Sheraton Inn in Georgetown to be picked up. The order was paid for online using one of those American Express prepaid cards, which Garcia found out was paid for in cash at a gas station with broken security cameras. The manager there was no help in identifying the person who bought the card, so no break there." He let out a frustrated sigh. "I spoke to the manager at the Sheraton. She said she didn't remember the guy who dropped the envelope off, but she's sending the security tapes this afternoon. Hopefully we'll get something from those, but I doubt it. This guy's good."

"He's been pretty careful so far, but maybe he made a mistake," Rossi interjected, glancing around the table.

"If he didn't, he will eventually and we'll get him," Hotch added. "For now, let's keep working on –"

Garcia, will you pull up my email on the screen please," JJ, who had been fiddling with her phone the entire meeting, interrupted. The technical analyst quickly did as she was asked, gasping as she opened JJ's newest message.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry for the super long time between updates. Hopefully it won't be so long for the next one. Thanks for reading!

JJ hurried out of the room as Morgan exclaimed, "I'm gonna kill this guy when we catch him." There on the screen was a picture of Henry sleeping in JJ's office, time-stamped an hour earlier. The picture was taken from above, as if from the security camera.

"How the hell did he get this?" Emily asked, looking to Garcia.

"I – I have no idea," the technical analyst replied, typing away furiously on her laptop as she spoke. "It doesn't look like we were hacked, at least not from outside the building. Anyone with the proper security codes could've gained access to the security cameras."

"Who would have those codes?" Hotch asked.

"The security guards, the higher ups, some of the technical analysts," Garcia rattled off without looking up from her computer.

"You really think the unsub works for the FBI?" Emily questioned Hotch. "That doesn't fit the profile."

"I think someone who knows the unsub works here," Hotch answered as JJ came into the room carrying a groggy Henry. The small boy rubbed his eyes and settled into his mother's lap. "Morgan, Rossi, Reid, go talk to the security guards. Get a copy of the visitors' log. Garcia, I want copies of the security tapes from the entrances and exits. I'm going to talk to Strauss to let her know we have a security breach. Prentiss, stay with JJ and Henry." The team scattered to follow Hotch's orders.

"How are you holding up?" Emily asked JJ as soon as the room was empty.

Looking down to her slumbering son, JJ replied, "I'm scared, Em. He got a picture of Henry in here. This is supposed to be one of the safest places possible, but somehow this guy got in here. What if the profile is wrong? What if it's someone we work with? What if he's still here, watching us? He killed all those other women, just because they resemble me. Is it all my fault? What did I do to him that he hates me this much?"

Seeing the woman she loved in such turmoil hurt Emily. Getting up quickly, she went over to embrace the rambling blonde and the boy in her lap. "It's okay, Jayje. We're gonna catch this bastard and then he's gonna pay for what he's done. You didn't do anything wrong. The unsub is obviously in a downward spiral that was started before you ever came into the picture. I love you and Henry and I'm not gonna let anything happen to you guys."

"You love us?" JJ repeated shyly, leaning back enough to see the profiler's face. Emily squeezed her eyes shut, realizing what she had let slip. It wasn't untrue, she just hadn't meant for the first time she said those words to JJ to be in the conference room at the BAU. But she wasn't about to deny it.

"Of course I love you. You're my best friend. You and Henry are probably the best things in my life," the brunette replied honestly.

"Oh Em," JJ said, looking into Emily's unguarded eyes. She could practically see the walls coming down as she leaned closer. "I –"

"Hey guys I got the security tapes and I thought–" Garcia broke off, seeing the two women with their arms around each other. "Am I interrupting something?" she asked with a slight smirk on her face.

"No, not at all," Emily replied, giving JJ's hand one last squeeze before standing and moving back to her chair. "What about the tapes?"

"Oh, I thought our lovely media liaison could look over the them and see if she recognized any of the visitors who came in."

"Ok," JJ agreed, readjusting Henry on her lap. "Let's do this."

An hour later, JJ and Emily were still seated next to each other watching the security tapes.

"That guy there, he looks familiar," Emily stated, pointing at the screen. "Garcia, can you enlarge his face?"

"Sure thing, Princess."

"You know I really hate it when you call me that."

"I know that you act like you hate it, but deep down you love it. There we go, suspicious looking guy number 153," Garcia quipped as she brought his face up on the screen.

"Where do I know him from?" Emily asked, squinting at the screen.

"He does look familiar. Maybe we worked with him at some point," JJ speculated.

"That's it. The case in Georgetown three months ago. He was one of the officers on the task force," Emily exclaimed. "Garcia can you find his name?"

"I'm insulted you even asked. I'm looking right now." Garcia typed away on her computer for a few minutes. "Name's John Michael Hales. I'm running a background check now."

Emily dialed Hotch's number. "Hotch, I think we've got a suspect."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry this is short, I wanted to get the next update out soon. Next chapter will probably be the last. Thanks for reading!

"So apparently Hales was passed up for a promotion about a month before you guys worked with him. And, get this, his wife left him because of it. His blonde haired, blue eyed wife who also took their young son with her," Garcia read off her computer screen.

"Sounds like he fits the profile," Hotch stated.

"How did he get in here?" Morgan asked.

"His cousin, Martin Hales, works in the security office. That's how he was able to get that picture of JJ's office," Hotch replied.

"It would be kind of sloppy of him to come here, wouldn't it? Why would he risk it?" Rossi wondered.

"He knew we were closing in on him and he needed to get to JJ before we did. He made a mistake."

"If this is our guy, what set him off? Garcia did anything happen to him around the time we worked with him that could have triggered this?" Reid questioned.

"He asked me out," JJ whispered. "I just remembered it. The case had ended, and I was cleaning up the room when he came in and asked me out, but I had plans with Emily and told him I wasn't interested. I rejected him. That's what set him off. That's why he killed all those women."

"No JJ, it's not your fault. The only person to blame here is Hales. He took out his anger on those innocent women. It's not your fault," Emily repeated, locking eyes with the blonde over the conference table. JJ looked over to where her son was playing in the corner and nodded.

"Sounds like this is our guy. Everybody gear up. Garcia, send me his address," Hotch instructed.

"Let's go get him," JJ said with determination blazing in her eyes.

Two hours later, John Michael Hales was sitting in the interrogation room at the BAU, signing his confession. JJ was standing on the other side of the glass, watching him and wondering what it was about her rejection that had set him off. She remembered being really nice to him when she said no. She didn't think anything about her behavior had been particularly incendiary.

"It wasn't your fault, Jayje. You didn't do anything wrong," Emily said as she came into the small room.

"I know. I was just thinking about it and realizing that. He was disturbed before he ever met me," she replied, smiling slightly at Emily. "I know that your protective duties are over, but I was wondering if you'd like to come over for dinner tonight. I want to talk to you about something. I'll even cook for you," JJ smirked.

"Ok sounds good. I'll bring wine."

"That was delicious, Jayje. Thank you."

"No problem. I like cooking adult food sometimes. Especially for you. That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about," JJ said as the women followed Henry into the living room. They settled on the couch as Henry ran over to his toys. JJ couldn't help but notice how close they were sitting. She could feel the warmth radiating off the profiler. She had been thinking about Emily ever since the brunette had said she loved her. She knew she loved Emily in a more than best friends way and was hoping that the profiler felt the same. "Today when you said you love Henry and me, in what way did you mean?" JJ asked carefully.

Emily studied the blonde, trying to determine what her answer should be. Should she tell the truth, that she loved JJ and wanted to be with her? Or should she brush it off, saying she meant a friendly love? As Emily searched the blue eyes, she saw a hint of fear. However, she also saw a glimmer of hope in the beautiful blue, and that spurred her on. Taking a deep breath to summon all her courage, she made her choice. Looking towards the boy playing in the corner, Emily told JJ the truth.

"I meant I love you. In a really big, spend forever with you, be a family together type of way," she said, voice full of emotion. She knew that this would change their friendship forever, but she just couldn't lie to JJ or herself anymore. She was prepared to take the risk that their friendship might change in hopes that it would change for the better. She glanced nervously over at the silent woman next to her, noticing the shining blue eyes and the big goofy smile on JJ's face. It was that smile that gave her hope that she hadn't ruined anything. "Say something, please."

"I love you, too, Em. That's what I was trying to tell you today before Garcia walked in. I love you in that big, spend forever with you, be a family together kind of way. I was so afraid that you didn't feel the same way and I didn't want to freak you out or hurt our friendship because you're my best friend and –" Emily cut off the rambling woman with a kiss.

JJ was surprised at first, but once the shock wore off all she felt were the warm, soft lips moving beneath her own. After a few moments of enjoying the sensation, she traced her tongue across the profiler's lips. Emily opened her lips, deepening the kiss. A moan reverberated between their lips, neither sure of where it had originated. The feel of Emily's tongue gliding against hers made JJ crazy, and she buried her hands in thick, dark hair. Emily moved her hands to JJ's hips, turning the blonde towards her, desperate to get closer to the other woman. Minutes passed until the need for oxygen outweighed the need for each other, and they broke apart, gasping for air. JJ rested her forehead against Emily's.

"Wow," was all she could manage to say.


End file.
